'Lost Brega'A rebel in Ajdabiyah told Reuters that Brega, 75 km (50 miles) to the southwest, had also fallen."We have lost Brega completely. We could not face Gaddafi's forces," said the rebel, who identified himself only as Nasser.Fighters had earlier spoken of skirmishes throughout the city as each side fought to win control.As well as the coastal road to Benghazi, there is also a 400 km (250 mile) desert road straight to Tobruk, near the Egyptian border that would cut off Benghazi. But it was not clear whether Gaddafi's forces were strong enough to be split and whether they could operate with such long supply lines.Al Jazeera television reported that elite army units commanded by Gaddafi's sons were heading towards Brega, suggesting he wanted to swiftly and emphatically crush the month-long insurrection against his 41-year rule.Gaddafi's forces have advanced steadily eastwards along the coast to retake towns captured by rebels in the early days of the uprising.The poorly equipped rebels have been outgunned by tanks, artillery and warplanes and are now in danger of being pushed all the way back to Benghazi, headquarters of their provisional national council.Libyan state television has carried messages saying eastern towns and cities would be or had been "liberated" from the hands of what it calls "armed gangs" and terrorists inspired by al Qaeda. Since halting the rebel advance, Gaddafi's forces have also recaptured the oil towns of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf.
Gaddafi's forces drive rebels from 2 eastern towns
Government forces now "in total control" of Ajdabiyah, Libyan state TV reports; rebels in danger of being pushed back to Benghazi.
'Lost Brega'A rebel in Ajdabiyah told Reuters that Brega, 75 km (50 miles) to the southwest, had also fallen."We have lost Brega completely. We could not face Gaddafi's forces," said the rebel, who identified himself only as Nasser.Fighters had earlier spoken of skirmishes throughout the city as each side fought to win control.As well as the coastal road to Benghazi, there is also a 400 km (250 mile) desert road straight to Tobruk, near the Egyptian border that would cut off Benghazi. But it was not clear whether Gaddafi's forces were strong enough to be split and whether they could operate with such long supply lines.Al Jazeera television reported that elite army units commanded by Gaddafi's sons were heading towards Brega, suggesting he wanted to swiftly and emphatically crush the month-long insurrection against his 41-year rule.Gaddafi's forces have advanced steadily eastwards along the coast to retake towns captured by rebels in the early days of the uprising.The poorly equipped rebels have been outgunned by tanks, artillery and warplanes and are now in danger of being pushed all the way back to Benghazi, headquarters of their provisional national council.Libyan state television has carried messages saying eastern towns and cities would be or had been "liberated" from the hands of what it calls "armed gangs" and terrorists inspired by al Qaeda. Since halting the rebel advance, Gaddafi's forces have also recaptured the oil towns of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf.